Merry-go-round



Sept. 20, 1 H. D. CLAY'VI'ON MERRY-GO-ROUND Filed Jan. 12, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 BB H .D.Clayt0n V Jib-l 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. D. CLAYTON MERRY-GO-ROUND Filed Jan. 12, 1931 Sept. 20, 1932.

3nnentor H.D.Clayton Sept. 20, 1932. H. D. CLAY-TON MERRY-GO-ROUND Filed Jan. 12, 1931 6 Sheets-Shem. 5

Zhwentor attorney Sept. 20, D, CLAYTON 1,878,758

MERRY-GO-ROUND Filed Jan. 12, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Ihwentor B H.D.Clayton Gtforneg p 20, 1932- H. D. CLAYTON v MERRY-GO-ROUND Filed Jan, 12, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 ISnventor H. D. CLAYTON MERRY-GO-ROUND Sept. 20, 1932.

Filed Jan. 12, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 H.D.Clayt0 (Ittornel;

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Ill l I is I l. Jfldilt'i 7 Patented Sept. 20, 1932 PATEN- 'HERBEB,T D. CLAYTON, OF HILL CITY, KANSAS MERRY- GO-ROUND Application filed January 12, 1931. Serial No.. 508 ,14=1.

' r The present invention relates to amusement apparatus, and more particularly to an improved construction of merry-go-round.

An. object of the present invention is to provide a device of this character which is adapted particularly for use in school grounds, play grounds and the like, and which may be manually operated by children riding on a turning platform.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a construction of merrygo-round which may comprise metallic parts peculiarly shaped and arranged to produce a relatively strong and durable device, and adevicewh ch is relatively light in weight and susceptible of various adjustments to accommodate children of difierent sizes and ages, and to provide a propelling. means for the merry-goround which requires but slight efiort and which-cannot injure the child.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an awning or canopy structure which is detachably mounted upon the revolving portion of the device and which when used may serve as a means for supporting braces in the top part of the structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting for the shaft or spindle about which the rotatable portionrevolves, and which may be adjusted to various angles with respect to the supporting post to adjust the device to uneven ground or uneven mounting of the post.

\Vith the foregoing and 7 other objects 1n view, the invention will be more fully dc scribed hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts, throughout the several views. I Figure 1 is 'a side elevation,.parts broken away, of a merry-go-round constructed according to the present invention. 7

a Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical section taken through one side of the same.

' Figure 3 is a detail enlarged side eleva tion of one of the closure plugs for the end of the tubular braces. V

Figure 4C is an enlarged transverse sectlon one of the angle plates with its plug shank taken through the-upper portion of the ro V tatable member substantially on the line 4-4:

- 1 of Figure 2, and showing an improved clamping means for holding theadjacent parts to-. gether. V Figureb is a horizontal section taken on the line 5.5 through the lower end o'f the post, showing the bracing and anchoring means therefor; I

Figure 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of the revolving platform.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section taken through the same. 7 i I i Figure e8 is an enlargedfragmentary section taken at right angles to the showing in Figure l and showing a modified form of clamping member for use with the awning structure.

Figure '9 is a detail bottom plan view of for supporting the awningstructure.

Figure 10 is a detail plan view, partly in section, of a hand ring for use in propelling the rotatable member. i

Figure 11 is a fragmentary topplanview of the upper end portion of the hand rail or propelling device, showing the clamp for engagementwith the post.

Figure 12 is a detail fragmentary sectional view takenthrough amodified form of brace clamp adapted to be used for supporting the braces when the awning is removed. t r

Figure 13 is a fragmentarysectional view taken through the upper portion of the post and rotatable member, showing the adjusting means for the shaft or spindle.

. Figure 14; is a fragmentary side elevation of the merry-go-round, showing a modified form of propelling means therefor.

Figure 15'is a fragmentary enlarged side iii" elevation of a portion of the post showing the stationary parts of the modified propelling means. a

Figure 16 is a vertical section taken through the same. 1 V I Figure 17 is a detail enlarged plan'view of the propelling lever used in themodified form.

Figure 18 is a longitudinal section taken l oc zontal arms 31 of angle ironor the like secured in tangential arrangement about the.

lower end of the'post 30 by means of bolts 32 or the like. Anchors 33' are mounted upon the outer ends of the arms 31 and may comprise double angle plates rivetedor otherwise suitably secured to the arms and extend ing crosswise thereof as shown in Figure 5 for holding thefoot structure of the. post against displacement. V The arms 31 are connected to the lower ends of diagonal braces 34 which extend up wardly from the outer end" portions of the arms to'the post 30, preferably slightly above the ground level and are secured to the post by bolts 35 or the like.

Fitting loosely in the upper end of the post 30 is a spindle or shaft36; The lower end of the shaft is supported upon a cross board 37 or the like which may be easily secured diametrically through the post 30 in spaced relation to the upper end thereof. The lower end of the spindle or shaft 36 is of relatively small diameter'as "compared with the internaldiameter of the post, as shown in Figure 13, so thatthe shaft or spins dle 36 may be canted or tilted intovarious angles with respect to the vertical axis of the -ost." 1 vp Disposed about the intermediate portion of the shaft 36 is a bushing 38 provided with a lower substantially semi-spherical 'bearing' surface adapted to seat upon the upper end of the post 30 to provide a universal I support for the rotating portion of the device and to take up the weight of "the device directly through the post 30 and relieve the spindle or shaft 36 of the strains thereof.

The bushing 38 has preferablya fiat upper face with an annular racetherein supporting ball bearings 39 which are retained within a bearingc'up' 40 which overhangs and encloses the bushing38'and which has an uppersleeve portion interfitting with a depending socket on the lower end of a hub 41. The hub 41 is of appreciable length and is of suitable size to 'freelyturn about the up- [per portion of the shaft or spindle 36. The

hub 41 has a lower flange 42 immediately above the socket and an upper flange 43 ter minating the upper end of the hub. .The shaft or spindle 36 is providedwith a socket of radiating angle arms 47 preferably constructed of piping and which are connected by bolts 48 to the lower flange 42 of the hub and extend horizontally outward thereabout. The outer ends of the arms 47 are curved or arched downwardly into horizontal position and terminate at their lowerends in clamps 49 adapted to adjustably secure rods 50 in the lower ends of the arms 47. The rods 50, as maybe best seen from Figures 6 and 7, are provided with a suitable numberof openings 51 thereth-rough adapted to selectively receive a cotter pin 52 or the like;-

The lower end of therod 50' slidably engages through a suspension socket 53 which is secured by bolts 54 or the like to the upperside of'a platform 55, the latter having a slot or -opening therethroughadmittingof the projection of the lower end of the" rod 50 to the desired distance through the socket- 53 so that the cotter. pin 52 may beengaged in a selectedopening 51 for suspending the platform from the rod at thedesiredheight from the ground. s

The "platform 55 is of circular configuraradially disposed plates 56 adapted to be tionand is adapted to completely encircle the v I fixed portion of the round-about and may be made up of a plurality of fiat boards or the clamped'against the opposite-sides of the v boards by bolts 57 which may engage'between the meeting" ends of the boards and also through-the same as clearly shown in Figures 6 and 7 r r The downturned ends of the angle arms 47 may be interbra'ced" in pairs by means of cross'braces 58 which are secured at opposite ends by T couplings 59 to adjacent arms 47 as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, and these braces 58 may comprise hand holds by means of which children may support themselves upon the platform 55 while on the device.

As a further aid of support for the ichil dren, and also for interbracing the platform '55 with the angle arms '47, the latter may be provided at their horizontal portions and in spaced relation from the fixed post 30 with depending rods, 60 secured by T couplings or the like to the'arms 47 and which slidably engage in'tubular posts 61 which are secured in adjusted position by clamps 62 upon the rods 60. The lower ends of the tubular rods 61 may be anchored and secured by bolts 63 orthe like to the upper ends of pins 64 which are secured throughthe-platform 55.

PT" Lea The upper flange 43 of the hub 41 carries a plurality i of radially disposed braces 65 which extend downwardly and approach the curved or angled portions of the arms 47. As

extends downwardly against the opposite sides of the arm 47, a pair of straps 67 being slidably mounted on the arms of the clamping bolts 66 and engaged against the opposite sides of the arm 47 and held thereto by clampng nuts 68. The straps 67 are provided with socket portions or seats which are rounded to engage against the opposite sides of the arm 47 and thus provide a rigidclamp for holding the braces 65 upon the arms 47.

The braces 65 thus aid in the suspension of the platform and distribute the tension and strains imposed thereon to the upper and lower portions of the hub 41. The braces are preferably of tubular construction and their lower ends may be closed by a plug 69 adapted to be inserted in the outer end of each brace 65 and provided with an enlarged rounded head 70 for closing the adjacent brace and covering the abrupt end of the tube.

The plug 69 is provided at its lower side with a transversely disposed flat surface or seat 71 arranged to register with a correspondingly formed slot 72 in the underside of the brace 65 and the upper strap 67 is provided with a locking lug 7 3 projecting through the slot 7 2 and engaging the flat face 71 for holding the plug 69 in the brace;

For the purpose of further reinforcing the angle arms 47 and maintaining the same in I properly spaced apart relation at their curved portions, they may be interbraced by tubular sections 74, and the sections 74 may be of equal length and adapted to extend between theinner opposite sides of the'arms 47. The adjacent ends of the tubular sections 74 are pivotally secured by bolts 7 5 between theopposite ends of a pair of clamping plates 76, the latter provided intermediate their.

ends with concave seats adapted to receive the upper and lower sides of the arms 47 for clamping the plates 76 thereto and thus holding the tubular sections 47 rigidly in place and connecting the same together between the arms 47. This structure is shown to advan-- plane irrespective of the mounting of the post 30, and to also provide for any relative angular positioning of the rotary part of the device with respect to the fixed supporting part thereof. This is accomplished by providing a number of set screws 77 in the fixed post 30 at a' point about but acent to the supporting bolt 37, the set screws 77 being adjusted through the post to engage the sides of the spindle 36 at its lower end and so as to swing and hold the spindle for turning through the bushing 38, the latter providing a universal joint admitting of the desired seating of the'bushing 38 upon the upper end of the post 30. This adjustment thus holds the hub 41 with its axis in the desired angular relation with respect to the axis of the fixed post 30. It will be noted that the spindle 36 does not support the weight of the platform 55 but that the weight is taken up directly through the thrust bearing provided by the bushing 38 and the ball bearings 39.

If desired, the device may be provided with an awning or canopy as shown in Figures 1. and 2 particularly. In this instance the. awning comprises a body portion 78 of canvas or the like which is of substantially coni cal formation andsupported upon aplural ity of ribs7 9 which may be secured by bolts 80 to the upper flange 43 of the hub 41, the bolts 80 also serving to secure the upper ends of the brace rods 65 to the flange 43.

The upper ends of the ribs 79 are therefore disposed in superposed relation upon the tion which is shown particularlyin Figures 8 and 9.- The outer end of each plug 82 is provided with a flat angularly' disposed attaching plate 83 having in its outer end a slot 84 adapted to receivea bolt 85 or the like which also engages the lower end of the arm 81 for anchoring the latter upon the lower end of the brace. V

When the plug 82 is employed, the tubular braces 74 may be secured to theopposite sides 1 of the adjacent-plates 83 by passing the bolts 7 5 throughslots' 85 whichare formed in the outer opposite ends of the plates 83, the latter being given substantially triangular formation so as to extend in the general di- 1 rections of the tubular extensions 7 4. y

The merry-go-round of this invention is adapted to be operated by the children riding on it and as one means of propulsion the fixed post 30 may be provided with a circular hand rail 86, shown in Figures 1, 2, '10 and 11 and which is supported upon a spider which may comprise a pair of sheet metal straps suitably bent to provide each a pair of diverging arms 87 interconnected at their inner ends'by a semi-circular clamping lying against one slde of the post 30.

The arms87 are secured by rivets 89 to the inner side of'the hand rail 86. and are returned therefrom in an upward and inward direction and at their free ends are secured by rivets 90, as shown in Figure 11, to the adjacent portions of an annularfclamping ring 91.

The ring 91 carries a pair of ears at its free end'sthrough which a clamping bolt 92 engages to bend the ring 91 in fixed relation upon the post and at a point above the semicircular clamping rings 88.

Clamping bolts 93 engagethrough the por tions of the opposed straps at opposite ends of the semi-circular clamping. rings 88 to bind the latter upon the post 30, preferably in the plane of the hand rail .86. The hand "rail 86 is of desired diameter to partially overlap the inner circular edge portion ofthe platform sothat a childstanding on the platform may turn the device by merely pulling on the hand rail, hand over hand. 1 Y

' According to the present invention, a modi- 2 fied construction of pro selling means may be employed, such asfdisclosed inv Figures 14 to 20, inclusive. In this form of'the invention the fixed post 30, as shown 1n Figures 15 and 16 is provided with a bearingsleeve 94 whichis secured in fixedlrelationupon-the post 30 by a transverse bolt 95 passing diametrically through the sleeve 94 and the post 30 near the upper end of the sleeve. The

lower end of the sleeve carries a lower flange 96 and above the sleeve is a toothed ring portion 97, and beyond the portion 97'is a removable-flange 98 secured upon the sleeve by screws 99 or the like. 7 r v I It willbe noted from Figures 15 and 16 that annular bearing surfaces 100 are disposed above'and below thetoothed portion 97, and these surfaces 100 are adapted to support rotatably thereon a two-part ring 101, shown to advantage in Figure 17. The sections of the ring 101 are detachably held. together by clamping bolts'102 to facilitate assemblage and knocking down of the device. One of Y the sections of the ring 101 is provided with an extension 103 which is radial to the ring 101 and suitably'chambered to receive therea;;locking pin 104 adapted to project through the inner wall of the ring 101 and into engagement with the toothed portion 97.

' The pin 104 carries a head 105-wl1ich serves as a guide to engage .the inner side of the provjectionflOS andto which'one end of a spring 106 is connected. The opposite end of the spring 106issecured to a second'head 107 mounted on-the inner end of a push rod 108 slidably disposed in a hollow handle 109 7 whichis detachably connected to the projection 103 by bolts 110 or the like.

The outer end of the handle 109 terminates in ahollow handle portion 111 which is open 65 at one side-andslidably' receives-thereina ring 88 second handle section 112. The inner end of the handle section 112 is connected by a pivot 113to the inner end of the fixed handle section 111, and an expansion spring 114 is arranged within the outer ends of the handle sections 111 and 112 for normally spreading the same apart at their outer ends. A pin 115 is carried by the fixed handle section. 111 and engages through a slot 116 in the handle section-112 to restrict the separation of the handle sections under the action of the spring A toggle lever 117 has its links pivotally fixed within the opposed handle sections 111 and 112 and the links thereof arepivotally connected to the outer end ofthe push rod I T .108, the parts being positioned so that upon compression of the andle the rod 108 will be projected inwardly and the pin 104 will engage with the teeth 97. The spring 106 serves thefunctionof admitting the yielding of the l pin 104 under pressure of the teeth 97 should the handle sections 111 and 112 be not completely collapsed. 1 I

The purpose of this structure and spring 2 106 is such that the handle, which projects into position over the platform 55, will not be held stationary during the turning of the platform to injure a child unless the handle is completely collapsed, and such action cannot take place by merely striking against one side of the handle because the resistance must be equal at oppositesides of the handle sections 1,1land112.v i From the above it is thought that'the use and operation of the merry-go-round willbe apparent. The device is of relatively light and simple constructionand may be readilyhandle with the feet placed on the platform 55; as the handle approaches the person the hand grips are released and the handle is again swung forwardly and collapsed. so as to engage an avanced portion of the teeth 97. This operatlon 1s'repeated, and as shown 1n dotted lines in F1gure13 thehandle structure may be doubled at the opposite side of the split ring 101 so that two persons may operate the device. v I

It is obvious that various 7 changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof,

such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims:

What is claimed is 1. A merry-go-round, comprising a fixed post, a shaft projecting into the upper end of the post, means for supporting the shaft in the post, adjusting means beween the shaft and the post for vertically aligning the shaft independently of the post, a rotary structure carried by the shaft, a platform surrounding the post and suspended from said structure, and propelling means mounted on the post and projecting outwardly over the platform.

2. A merry-go-round, comprising a post, a shaft projecting into the upper end of the post, a universal thrust bearing carried on the shaft for engagement against the top of the post, means for holding the shaft in adjusted position relatively to the axis of the post, a hub mounted on the shaft and seated on said bearing, radial members carried by the hub, a platform, and means for connecting the platform adjustable to said radial members.

3. A merry-go-round, comprising a hollow post, a hub seated at its lower end on the upper end of the post, a shaft in the hub projecting into the post for holding the hub I sides of said sockets for suspending the thereon, radially disposed arms carried by the hub, a platform suspended from the outer ends of said arms, a plurality of braces carried by the hub and connected to the outer ends of said arms, said braces having hollow free ends, plugs fitting in said ends, arms carried by the plugs and extending upwardly therefrom, ribs mounted on the hub and extending radially therefrom and connected to the upper ends of said upwardly extending arms for supporting the ribs, and a canopy engaging over said ribs.

,AQA merry-go-round, comprising a fixed member, a revolving member mounted thereon and provided with radially disposed arms down turned at their outer ends, rods adjustably mounted in the down turned ends of the arms and having series of transverse openings therethrough, a platform, sockets carried by the platform adapted to receive the lower ends of said rods therethrough, and pins adjustably mounted in the openings of said rods for engagement against theunderlatform from the rods.

5. A merry-go-round, comprising a fixed central member, a revolving member mounted thereon and provided with radially disposed arms, a platform suspended from said arms, radial braces carried by the revolving member and connected at their outer ends to said arms, each of said braces having' a hollow outer end, a plug mounted in the hollow end of each brace and provided with a flat plate upon its outer end, brace members connected to the plates and extending between adjacent arms and braces for spacing ribs, and a covering engaging over said ribs.

6.'A merry go-round, comprising a fixed post, a revolving member mounted on the upper end of the p0st,a' platform surrounding the lower portion of the post and suspended from the revolving member, a toothed member fixed on the post, a. laterally extending handle rotatably mounted at its inner end on the post about said toothed member, a locking pin carried by the handle, and a hand grip movably mounted on the outer end of the handle and connected to said pin for moving the .same into interlocking engagement with said gear member upon themovement of the hand grip on the handle. i j p 7. In a merry-go-round, a fixed post, a gear member mounted on the post, a handle mounted for rotationat its inner end about the gear member, a locking'pin carried by the handle for engagement with said gear member, a pair of hand grips mounted for relative movement on the outer end of the handle and normally urged into expanding position, a connection between the hand grips and said pin for moving the latter inwardly upon the compression of the hand grips, and a yieldable connection between the pin and said connecting means for admitting of the automatic retraction of the pin upon the partial projection of the same into engagement with the gear member.

8. A merry-go-round, comprising a fixed post, a gear, member fixed upon the post, a

split ring mounted to turn about the gear HERBERT n. CLAYTON. 

